Pre-table for container treatment machines

ABSTRACT

In the case of a receiving table for container processing machines having a table top ( 3 ) which stands on feet ( 2 ) and has transport elements (T) for the containers arranged on it, the table top consists of an inclined top plate ( 3   a ) and a bottom plate ( 3   b ) which is rigidly connected to the former and together with it forms a cavity ( 4 ). The top side of the table top ( 3 ) is provided with a water-repellant coating. This greatly facilitates runoff of liquids and cleaning of the tablet plate, and yields a stable, lightweight and inexpensive construction.

[0001] This invention relates to a receiving table for a container processing machine, in particular container filling and/or capping machines according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] It is already known to use such receiving tables, where the table top is made of la single sheet of steel plate having a constant thickness, the plate being arranged at an inclination. Therefore, the bottom side of the table top is necessarily inclined to the horizontal. This leads to problems in mounting the various externally mounted parts such as feet, bearing blocks and supports for the transport elements, linings and so forth, so that these receiving tables have not been successful in practice.

[0003] The object of this invention is to facilitate the mounting of add-on parts significantly in the case of a receiving table of the type defined in the preamble and thereby also lower manufacturing costs.

[0004] This object is achieved according to this invention by the feature characterized in the characterizing part of claim 1.

[0005] The table top of a receiving table according to this invention has an inclined top side which facilitates the drainage of fluids and cleaning greatly. On the other hand, since the bottom side of the table top is horizontal, it is just as simple to attach add-on parts as it is with a completely horizontal table top so that now nothing stands in the way of practical use.

[0006] Advantageous refinements of this invention, all of which yield a stable, lightweight and inexpensive design of the receiving table, are characterized in the subclaims.

[0007] One embodiment of this invention is described below on the basis of the drawings, which show:

[0008]FIG. 1 a perspective view of a receiving table, partially in sectional view,

[0009]FIG. 2 view A according to FIG. 1,

[0010]FIG. 3 a perspective view of a bottling machine having the receiving table according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0011] The receiving table 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 has a table top 3 having a rectangular basic shape, including a bottom plate 3 b and a top plate 3 a positioned above it.

[0012] The bottom plate 3 b, which is otherwise planar, is bent perpendicularly downward at the edge. Several perpendicular feet 2 of the same length are attached to the bottom side and help to set up the table in the horizontal position.

[0013] The top plate 3 a is designed symmetrically in the manner of an Italian roof [a hipped roof, pitched at one or both ends] having a roof slope of 9° and is manufactured by corresponding canting and cutting and welding from an originally planar plate of stainless steel plate in a thickness of 8 mm, just like bottom plate 3 b. Top plate 3 a is also bent downward at a right angle at the edge and covers with its bent edge part the bent edge area of bottom plate 3 b. The two bent edge areas are welded together continuously so they are airtight, and at the same time top plate 3 a and bottom plate 3 b are rigidly joined together, enclosing an airtight cavity 4 in the shape of an attic. Several reinforcing ribs 7 are connected to top plate 3 a and bottom plate 3 b in this cavity. In addition, cavity 4 may also be filled with foam.

[0014] Because of the specified design, table top 3 has high stability by using a relatively small amount of material and it forms a type of self-supporting hollow profile. The top side of table top 3 is inclined toward four sides and facilitates runoff of filling liquid or cleaning liquid and also prevents dirt from collecting. It is of course also possible to provide the top side of table top 3 with two inclined surfaces in the manner of a saddleback roof or with just one inclined surface in the manner of a shed roof. In this case, perpendicular walls are additionally required to form an enclosed hollow space together with top plate 3 a and bottom plate 3 b. It is also possible to apply a water-repellant coating on the top side of table top 3.

[0015] The bottom side of table top 3 runs horizontally, greatly facilitating installation by means of feet 2 of the same length with horizontal end faces. The same thing is also true of attachment of bearing columns 5, 6 for transport stars, rotating tables or the like, as illustrated by FIG. 3 in particular. Such add-on parts are connected through concentric boreholes in top plate 3 a and bottom plate 3 b so that they are screwed or welded to bottom plate 3 b and finally are sealed by a weld or the like with respect to top plate 3 a. Therefore, no adaptation of these add-on parts to the inclined top surface of table top 3 a is necessary.

[0016] Several rotating spray nozzles 10 are mounted on the top side of top plate 3 a at the highest point (peak of the roof). These spray nozzles are connected to a supply line 11 installed in the cavity 4, connected by a cutoff valve (not shown) to a supply unit (not shown) for pressurized liquid cleaning medium. By manual or automatic opening of the cutoff valve, it is possible to spray down the top side of table top 3 and thus remove dirt, chards, etc. This effectively prevents soiling or microbial growth.

[0017] In addition, a heating device 12 is provided in hollow space 4 having an electric oil-filled heating spiral with thermostatic control, for example. This is installed close to top plate 3 a so that it may be heated with a relatively low consumption of energy. Thus, droplets of liquid remaining after spraying down the surface can evaporate rapidly, thus effectively preventing microbial growth.

[0018] The bottle filling and capping machine illustrated in FIG. 3 has a rotating ring vessel 13 having filling valves (not shown) and provided with a receiving table according to this invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The empty bottles F are supplied to ring vessel 13 by transport and conveyor elements T on the receiving table, e.g., conveyor stars, conveyor belts, adjusting screws, rotating tables and the like, then after being filled, the bottles are removed from it and next they are conveyed through the bottle capping device which is also mounted on receiving table 1 and finally they are conveyed away from the bottle filling and capping machine. It is good to recognize that both the bottom side and the top side of receiving table 1 together with the add-on parts are readily accessible and easy to clean so that completely or virtually germ-free operation is possible with suitable accessory equipment.

[0019] The abovementioned water-repellant and dirt-repellant coating is indicated at the right edge of table top 3 in FIG. 2 where is it labeled as B. It covers the entire outer surface of top plate 3 a and may extend also to the bearing columns 5, 6 and other add-on parts. Coating B is made of PTFE, a plastic having good water-repellency properties, easy to clean and also applied with good adhesion to the tablet plate 3 made of stainless steel.

[0020] The exterior surface of coating B is either extremely smooth or is provided with elevations and indentations in the nanometer or micrometer range, preventing adhesion of particles of dirt in the manner of a “lotus effect” and ensure a self-cleaning effect; i.e., all impurities are removed by simply rinsing with water.

[0021] The coating B described above works together synergistically with the inclined table top surface in the sense of simple cleaning and automatic runoff of liquids, product residues, etc. However, coating B may also be applied to horizontal table tops and it makes a contribution to simple effortless cleaning even here and counteracts microbial growth and soiling. 

1. A receiving table (1) for container processing machines, in particular filling and/or capping machines, having a table top (3) which stands on feet (2) with transport elements (T) for the bottles, cans or the like being arranged on this table top, the top side of the table top being inclined with respect to the horizontal, characterized in that the bottom side of the table top runs horizontally.
 2. The receiving table according to claim 1, characterized in that the table top (3) has at least one inclined top plate (3 a) and at least one horizontal bottom plate (3 b) which are rigidly joined together.
 3. The receiving table according to claim 2, characterized in that the top plate (3 a) and the bottom plate (3 b) enclose a cavity (4).
 4. The receiving table according to claim 3, characterized in that the cavity (4) is sealed airtight.
 5. The receiving table according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the cavity (4) is filled with foam.
 6. The receiving table according to one of claims 1 through 5, characterized in that the top-plate (3 a) and the bottom plate (3 b) are bent downward at the edge in the manner of a flange and are Joined together in the bent edge area.
 7. The receiving table according to claim 6, characterized in that gear wheels (8, 9) for the transport element (T) are arranged within the space bordered by the bent edge area.
 8. The receiving table according to one of claims I through 7, characterized in that the top plate (3 a) and the bottom plate (3 b) have essentially the same rectangular design.
 9. The device according to one of claims 1 through 8, characterized in that the top plate (3 a) has a roof-like basic shape in particular in the manner of an Italian roof, while the bottom plate (3 b) is essentially planar.
 10. The receiving table according to one of claims 1 through 9, characterized in that several feet (2) of the same length are attached to the bottom side of the table top (3) or the bottom plate (3 b).
 11. The device according to one of claims 3 through 10, characterized in that at least one reinforcing rib (7) is arranged in the hollow space (4) and is connected to the top plate (3 a) and the bottom plate (3 b).
 12. The receiving table according to one of claims 3 through 11, characterized by at least one perpendicular bearing block (5, 6) for a transport element (T) which passes through the hollow space (4) and is attached at least to the bottom plate (3 b) and is sealed with respect to the top plate (3 a).
 13. The receiving table according to one of claims 3 through 12, characterized in that at least one spray nozzle (10) is arranged on the top plate (3 a), preferably at its highest point, and is connected to a supply line (11) installed in the cavity (4).
 14. The receiving table according to claim 13, characterized in that the spray nozzle (19) is rotatable.
 15. The receiving table according to one of claims 3 to 14, characterized in that a heating device (12) for the table top (3) is situated in the cavity (4).
 16. A receiving table (1) for container processing machines, in particular filling and capping machines, having a table top (3) which stands on feet (2) on which are arranged transport elements (T) for the bottles, can or the like, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the top side of the table top (3) is provided with a water-repellant coating (B).
 17. The receiving table according to claim 16, characterized in that the coating (B) has antibacterial properties.
 18. The receiving table according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the coating (B) has self-cleaning properties.
 19. The receiving table according to one of claims 16 through 18, characterized in that the coating (B) is made of plastic. 